Acetylene-gas generator.



(No Model.)

Patented Ian. 7, I902. .L. J; HENDtE'R. ABETYLENE GAS GENERATOR.

(Application flied my 8, 1901.)

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Saree NITE JOHN J. HENDLER, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.

ACETYLENE-GAS GENERATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 690,425, dated January'7, 1902.

Application filed May 3, 1901. Serial No. 58,630. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN J. HENDLER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Kansas City, in the county of Jackson, in the State ofMissouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatusfor Generating and Burning Acetylene and other Gases, of which thefollowingis a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had tothe accompanying drawing, which forms a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in apparatus for generating andburning acetylene and other gases, having more particular reference toproviding a simple and safe apparatus in which the gas may be generatedfrom calcium carbid orlike material bysimply setting the apparatus in avessel of water, or by providing the apparatus with a fioat and sinkerit may be floated upon the surface of a body of Water, and thus usedwith great convenience and advantage in lighting the lakes and waters ofparks and pleasure-resorts for evening boating parties and for theillumination of harbor-buoys; and my invention consists in certainfeatures of novelty hereinafter described, and pointed out in theclaims.

The drawing represents a vertical section of the apparatus, in which 1represents a carbid-cup. Said cup is provided with a gastight cover 2,upon which is mounted a valve 3, communicating through the cover withthe cup, and with said valve is conducted a burner 4, or a tube or pipemay be connected with the valve and the gas connected to any desiredpoint. This being familiar constructionis not shown. Said cup is mountedupon a casing 5, upon which the cup will stand when placed in a vesselof water and which forms achamber or bowl under the cup. Said casing isprovided with openings 6 at or. near its bottom for the admission ofwater to the bowl formed thereby. In the bottom of said cup is providedan opening 7, surrounding which is mounted-a tube 8, extending towardthe top of the cup and provided at a distance from the bottom with asmall opening 9. Within said tube is mounted a tube 10, of smallerdiameter, providing an annular space 11 between the tubes for thepassage of the water from the bowl up to and through the being chokedwith carbid or other matter from the cup. Said tubes may have wire 14 orother suitable packing providing a small annular passage through thetubes for water or gas, as the conditions may require.

\Vhen the apparatus is to be used by floating upon the surface of a bodyof water for lighting a lake in a park or pleasure-resort or other bodyof water, a float 15 is mounted at or near the top of the cup. Suchfloat may be formed of cork or may be simply a casing of thin metal orrubber or any suitable ma terial forming a receptacle for air or gas ofsufficient buoyancy to float the apparatus, and an opening provided witha valve 16 may be provided between the generating-chamber and thegas-chamber of the float, so that the float may be supplied with gasfrom the generating-chamber,said valve being so arranged as to preventthe return of the gas to the gencrating-chamber. A sinker 17 issuspended from the bottom to give stability thereto.

In operation when the apparatus is placed in the water the water willpass up the annular passage 11 and through the opening 9 into the cup,and coming in contact with the carbid in the cup the gas will begenerated and will accumulate in the upper part of the cup. As the gasis generated more rapidly than it will be carried away through theburner and the pressure increases, the gas will pass down the tube 10,forcing the water from the bell, the apparatus thus providing its owngasometer. The gas will also pass under the pressure through the smalltubes 13 into the bowl, andif an excess of gas is generated more thanthe bell will contain it overflows into the bowl. The pressure of thegas upon the Water will also act to stop the flow of water through thepassage 11, and the further generation of gas is for the time checked orshut off. Then as the gas passes 0E through the burner the gas from thebowl will flow back through the passage 11 and the small tubes 14 andfrom the bell through the tube 10 until the water rises and again comesin contact with the carbid, when the generation of gas will be resumedand the operation repeated. A uniform pressure is thus constantly maintained and a steady and uniform light obtained at the burner. Theapparatus is thus self-regulating and perfectly safe, any eX- cessivepressure that may be suddenly generated, as sometimes happens by thewater coming in contact with a fresh lump of earbid, being at oncerelieved by the passage of the gas through the tube 10 into the bell,and the apparatus being immersed in a body of water any danger fromheating resulting from thedecompositiou of the carbid will be entirelyobviated.

Having thus fully described my improved apparatus, .what I claim as myinvention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. An apparatus of theclass described,comprising a carbid-cup having avalved discharge-opening and provided with an opening in its bottom, asuitable support for said cup whereby it is adapted to be set in avessel of water, a perforated tube communicating with said opening inthe bottom of the cup whereby the water is admitted to said cup, and anupwardly-extending gas-tube in said cup provided with a bell forming agas-receiver exterior to the cup, substantially as and for the purposeset forth.

2. An apparatus of the class described, comprising a carbid-cup having avalved discharge-opening, and provided with an opening in its bottom, acasing forming a bowl upon which said cup is mounted, a perforated tubesurrounding said bottom-opening and extending toward the top of the cup,a tube of smaller diameter mounted within said perforated tube, and abell mounted upon said last-named tube exterior to the cup and forming agas-receiver for the same substantially as set forth.

3. An apparatus of the class described, comprising a carbid-cup having avalved discharge-opening, and provided with an opening in its bottom, acasing upon which said cup is mounted forming abowl under the cup, aperforated tube mounted in said cup communicating with said bowl throughsaid bottom-opening, a gas-receiver exterior to said cup, a gas-tubeextending into said cup and communicating with said gas-receiver, andsmall tubes mounted in said cup and communicating with the bowl formedby said casing, substantially as set forth.

4. An apparatus of the class described, comprising a gasgeneratingchamber having a valved discharge-opening, a casing forming a bowl undersaid chamber, a perforated tube communicating with said bowl and withsaid generating-chamber for the passage of water to the same, agas-receiver mounted within said bowl, and a gas-tube connected withsaid receiver and communicating with said generating-chamber;substantially as set forth.

5. An apparatus of the class described, comprising a gas-generatingchamber, having a valved discharge-opening, a casing forming a bowlunder said chamber, a perforated tube communicating with said bowl andwith said generating-chamber for the passage of water to the same, agas-receiver mounted within said bowl, a gas-tube connected with saidreceiver and communicating with said generating-chamber, a floatconnected with the up per part of said generating-chamber, and a sinkerconnected therewith for maintaining stability when floated,substantially as set forth.

6. An apparatus oftheclassdescribed,co1nprising a gas-chamber having avalved discharge-opening, a casing forming a bowl under said chamber, aperforated tube communicating with said bowl and with said chamber forthe passage of water thereto, a gasreceiver mounted within said bowl, agas-tube connected with said receiver and communieating with saidgenerating-chamber, a float connected with the upper part of saidgenerating-chamber and having valved communication therewith, and asinker connected with said casing for maintaining stability of theapparatus when floated, substantially as set forth.

7. An apparatus of the class described, comprising a gas-generatingchamber having a valved dischargeopening, a casing forming a bowl undersaid chamber, a perforated tube communicating with said bowl and withsaid chamber for the passage of water thereto, a gas-receiver mountedwithin said bowl, a gastube connected with said receiver andcommunicating with said generating-chamber, small tubes communicatingwith said bowl and with said chamber, a float connected with the upperpart of said generating-chamber, and a sinker connected with said casingfor maintaining stability of the apparatus when floated, substantiallyas set forth.

JOHN J. HENDLER.

W'itnesses:

O. A. LUCAS, ALB. SOHAER.

